A Knut for Your Thoughts
by rockythehufflepuff
Summary: "If anyone ever asked, Fred would say that it was an accident. Although, to be honest, it was an accident. All it was supposed to be was another one of their inventions. Fred really hadn't anticipated everything that came from it." (I own nothing)
1. Chapter 1: On Accident

If anyone ever asked, Fred would say that it was an accident. Although, to be honest, it _was_ an accident. All it was supposed to be was another one of their inventions. Fred really hadn't anticipated everything that came from it.

The idea for the potion was simple. The drinker would have their thoughts suddenly broadcasted to anyone within a ten foot radius. And once Fred perfected the potion, he was going to slip it into Ron's pumpkin juice, just to watch the chaos it would cause. Perhaps, the git would finally admit his feelings for Granger.

Fred sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Of all the women in the world, Fred had to fall for _Hermione Granger_, the girl who obviously fancied his little brother. Nothing good could come from this and he was definitely going to get his heartbroken. But that didn't stop him.

Fred shook his head and turned his attention back to his potion. He decided he quite liked brewing on Hogsmeade days. The Gryffindor Common Room was essentially vacant and there was no one to interrupt him.

Well, that was until Hermione Granger came storming into the room.

At first, Fred wasn't even sure that she had seen him. She charged into the room in a fury, stomped up to the girl's dormitories, only to return a few minutes later with a book. She plopped down across from him. "What's got your wand in a twist?" Fred wanted to know.

For a moment, it appeared as though she hadn't heard him, until finally, the book fell to her lap with a sigh. "That _woman_! She's completely vile! Did you know she's using that–that _quill_ on first years! And with Dumbledore gone, there's not much we can do!" She looked as though she wanted to throw something across the room in her anger. "Naturally, I can't condone your actions," she continued, "but I have to agree that a little chaos is exactly what she deserves."

Fred gave her an impressed smirk. "Always knew you thought me and George were geniuses." She frowned.

"I never said that," she returned.

"You can now if you like," he murmured. He caught the sight of her rolling her eyes before he returned to his potion.

Curious, Granger stood up and made her way over to where he was standing over the cauldron. "What are you brewing?" she wanted to know.

"Nosy, aren't we?" he answered.

"Come on," she prompted. Her hair fell past her shoulders as she leaned across him to further her inspection. His eyes were trained on her now, his potion all but forgotten. How could his brother not see how utterly enchanting Hermione Granger was? She was beautiful in all the ways that couldn't be seen. Well, and all the ways that could be seen as well. "Is it a sleeping potion?"

Fred shook his head to clear it, her words bringing him back to reality. "Something better, Granger," he stated. "Haven't quite finished it yet, though."

"This is one of your Weasleys' Wheezes products, isn't it?"

"It's Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," he corrected. "But yes." She shook her head at him and returned to her seat with her book. "What's this, Granger? Not going to write my mother? Not going to give me detention?" She smiled a little.

"As long as you don't test on first years and you use whatever that is against Umbridge, I really couldn't care less." Fred smirked.

"Always knew you had a rebellious side to you."

"Can't say I know what you mean."

In retrospect, perhaps this was all Granger's fault. There she sat for hours, her eyes flittering across the page as she read. Fred had no idea watching someone read could be so interesting. Every now and then, her eyebrows would knit together in a frown when she was particularly contemplating something that she had read. Merlin, she was just too endearing for her own good, and Fred couldn't keep his eyes off of her. And in his distraction, he failed to notice that one of her hairs had fallen into the potion.

* * *

Per their agreement, Fred waited until the next day, when George was around, to take the potion. By the time his brother had returned from Hogsmeade with Angelina, Fred was too tired to worry about the potion and opted for bed instead. After nearly the fifth time George had found Fred on the floor after trying out their inventions, they had made an agreement that neither one could try a new invention without the other present. Besides, for this one to work, Fred was going to need someone else around.

He downed the potion in one long gulp before looking at George expectantly. "Well, go on," he said, "think of something."

_I am the more attractive twin_. Fred thought to himself. George frowned and looked at their list of ingredients again. "Maybe it just needs a few minutes before it starts working."

So, they waited. And waited. And waited.

Nothing happened.

"Well," said Fred finally, "I reckon we'll just have to try again next weekend. It is nice though, I thought I was going to have to spend the whole day in this room so people couldn't hear my thoughts." George nodded.

"Thought we had it this time." Fred shrugged. "What _were_ you thinking anyway?" Fred just smirked. He would have to wait until next weekend to find that out.

Fred and George walked down to breakfast then. Umbridge was sitting in the Headmaster's seat, an evil smile spread across her face. _Honestly, can that woman be any more repulsive?_ Fred smirked, glancing around, looking for the person who had said that. No one was paying them any attention.

With a frown, Fred and George took the seats around Hermione, Ron, and Harry. His younger brother and his friend were currently engaged in a rather lengthy discussion on Quidditch. _Oh good, another conversation on Quidditch. Those are hardly keepers_. Fred laughed a little and glanced up, wondering what Harry and Ron were going to say to Hermione's words. But they acted as though they hadn't heard her and she was still hidden behind her book. _Honestly, if they cared about their studies as much as they do about Quidditch, they wouldn't have to copy off of my notes._

Fred was watching her now. He wasn't an idiot, he knew this had something to do with the potion he had taken. It really wasn't supposed to work this way. Not that he was complaining, this was an opportunity of a lifetime. He certainly wouldn't be passing this up. And besides, if she finally admitted that she had feelings for Ron, perhaps that would be the push he needed to get over his stupid crush.

_Why is Fred staring at me?_ Fred raised an eyebrow. The woman hadn't even looked up from the book, how did she know he was staring? _I don't have something on my face do I? Harry and Ron never tell me when there's something on my face._ She reached up and scratched her head, bringing her hand down slowly, subtly checking if anything was there. Fred smirked again and looked back at his plate of food. _Nothing there, but at least he's stopped staring._

_The Warlock Convention of 1259 was vital..._Fred had to get her thinking about something else. He couldn't stand to listen to this. It was definitely going to ruin his appetite. If he cared at all about the Warlock Convention of 1259, he would have paid attention in History of Magic.

"Granger," Fred said, "I've been thinking about it and I've decided that you can help George and me when we prank Umbridge." Harry, Ron, and George glanced over at him curiously. _What is he talking about?_ Hermione questioned. Slowly, she closed the book and put it away. Fred was certainly glad about that.

"Pardon?" Hermione said aloud, confusion was plastered onto her face.

"That's what you meant last night, right? You said that Umbridge deserves a little chaos. So, yes, you may help us." _He can't be serious_, she thought.

"I clearly said that I couldn't condone your actions," Hermione returned.

"That's alright, Granger," George interjected, "we won't hold it against you." _They have to be joking_, she thought as she looked at Fred and George with wide eyes. _They're always joking. So, they have to be joking now, too. Besides, I would never help them prank a teacher. They know that._

"We are completely serious about this," stated Fred.

"You can help us tonight," added George.

"I am _not_ helping you attack a teacher!" Hermione said, lowering her voice slightly so that they wouldn't be overheard.

"You don't have a choice," Fred told her with a grin. "It's already been decided. Consider it our late Christmas present to you."

"Present?"

"Sure," Fred continued, "we're giving you a break from studying for your O.W.L.s. We're gifting you with the chance to prank Umbridge instead of reading the Warlock Convention of 1259." Hermione raised an eyebrow, already questioning how he knew what she was reading about.

"We're helping you out, Granger," said George. _I shouldn't_, Hermione told herself. _I need to study if I want all Outstandings on my O.W.L.s. I don't have time to run around the castle_. _But it would be nice to give Umbridge what she deserves_, Hermione warred with herself. _You're a prefect, Hermione. Besides Harry and Ron have probably waited until now to do their work._

"We're not giving you a choice," Fred told her. "Harry and Ron can do their work by themselves for once."

"Hey!" Harry and Ron objected.

"I–" Hermione began.

"Great," Fred stated. "We'll see you lot later then. C'mon Georgie." George looked down at his plate of food and sighed. He stood up and followed Fred out of the Great Hall.

The moment they reached the corridor, George have Fred an expectant look. Fred just shrugged and led the way down to the kitchen, knowing how hungry George was. "We were wrong," Fred said as they walked. "The potion did work."

"Really? Because I haven't been able to figure out what you've been thinking all morning. What are you doing inviting Granger like that? She's probably already reported us to McGonagall."

"It's not working like we thought it would," Fred explained. "Since we walked in the Great Hall, I could hear Granger's thoughts." George stopped walking and frowned.

"Why Granger's?" Fred shook his head.

"I don't know, but I've chosen to look at this as a gift."

"I'm sure you have," George muttered, he started walking again. "Just next time, don't let it get in the way of my breakfast."

"We needed an exit," Fred replied with a shrug.

* * *

Hermione was reluctant to join them that night. They found her in the library after dinner looking extremely anxious. "Don't worry, Granger," Fred said, "we're not going to do anything too terrible. We're just going to put a niffler in her office."

Hermione's eyes widened. She very clearly didn't want anything to do with their prank. Fred was going to have to fix that. _I should just tell them I need to study_, she thought. _This is going to end badly. Where did they even get a niffler?_

"We got the niffler from Hagrid," Fred stated conversationally, "if that's what you're worried about." _That certainly doesn't make me feel better._

Fred, originally, wanted to have Hermione be the one placing the niffler in Umbridge's office, but he after a minute of listening to her frayed thoughts, he knew better. Instead, he had George place the niffler in the office, while Fred and Hermione caused a distraction in the corridor.

Fred kept it simple, he and Granger set off a few dungbombs before running like mad to Gryffindor Tower. Thankfully, Filch knew about only half of the secret passages in the castle. Fred quickly led Hermione down one that took them immediately to Gryffindor Tower.

George arrived in the Tower only a few minutes after them, describing Umbridge's anger at the situation. The flushed laughter and cheerful smile on Granger's face throughout the tale didn't escape Fred's notice. He didn't need to hear her thoughts to know she had a good time.

At breakfast the next morning, Fred sat down beside Granger at the Gryffindor table. He couldn't hear a single thought in her pretty little head. But the whole school was buzzing with the news of their prank and Granger had a wide smile on her face. And that was enough for Fred.


	2. Chapter 2: Slightly Less on Accident

The second time it happened was during the summer before her sixth year. Hermione had arrived early to the Burrow that summer, after a rather lengthy argument between her and her parents. The Grangers didn't like the idea of Hermione returning to Hogwarts after everything that had happened in the Ministry. And there was a war coming, naturally they were worried. But Fred truly believed there was no safer place than at Hogwarts.

Initially, Fred and George were going to continue living at the Burrow and commute to the store every morning. The flat above the shop needed a great deal of work that, frankly, neither of them wanted to provide. But this was proving to be too difficult. They would return to the house well into the night and leave early the next morning. And of course, their mum insisted on staying up until they returned. No, it would be much better to simply move to the flat above the shop.

It was during this transition that Hermione arrived to the Burrow, bringing with her a library of books. Fred and George were recklessly throwing their things together in boxes to take to their flat when Hermione was paused by their open door to say "hello."

"Hello, Granger," Fred and George replied together.

"I was wondering about your shop," she said pleasantly. "How is it? Ginny said that you've been quite busy lately."

"Why, Granger," said George, "you said nearly proud of us."

"Well, I haven't seen the shop for myself yet, so I'm not sure I can be yet."

"Mum was planning a trip to Diagon Alley later this month I believe," Fred interjected absentmindedly. He was staring at an old book of ideas he had just found under his bed. "You can see it then."

"And what will I be seeing exactly?" returned Hermione. "Impressive magic or the minor inconveniences that we Prefects will have to deal with this year?"

"Come now, Granger, what do you take us for?" Fred said in outrage. "They'll be major inconveniences." To that, Hermione just shook her head and left the room. Fred hardly noticed, consumed by the book he had just found. He flipped through the pages, landing on the potion he had tried to create only a few months prior. He had never been able to finish it, as he and George left Hogwarts in a rush, pushing all thoughts of failed potions to the back of his mind.

But staring at the potion ingredients, he knew that he had nearly got it right. He could try again. And if it _did_ fail again, well then, he'd only have to listen to Granger's thoughts for a few hours. With sudden determination, Fred placed the book into his trunk. He was going to try again with the potion. Perhaps, this time it really would work.

It wasn't hard to recreate the potion that night. He and George were able to test it out on their employee, a lovely girl named Verity, the following day. Of course, neither of them had warned her that they were going to play a pranks on her. They believed it was the only true way to run a joke shop.

Verity thundered into the backroom, her anger thoughts reverberating around them. The glare she'd given them was more than enough proof of her anger, but her thoughts just amplified that. Verity Apparated back to her flat without an explanation. Granted, she didn't need to give one.

So, Fred had been able to prove that he'd gotten the potion right the first time. It really did work perfectly. He and George were able to start selling the potion within the week. The potion had been so popular that they had sold out of the product the first day they introduced it. Since then, Fred had been steadily creating the potion in the backroom to keep ahead of the orders.

While he was working one day, a thought popped into his mind. Why _had_ the potion been incorrect before? He'd just used the same ingredients as he had before. Truly, he'd done everything exactly as he had before. But it had worked differently. Why?

It was as he was contemplating these things that George appeared. "Mum and Dad are here," he declared. "They've brought Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione with them." Fred cleared the area and strode out to meet his family.

"...you know," he could hear Hermione Granger say as Fred made his way to them, "'that really is extraordinary magic." She was holding one of the Patented Daydream Charms. Fred's heart danced a little at the thought of Hermione praising one of his products.

"For that, Hermione," he said, standing behind them now,"you can have that for free." She turned to meet his gaze. It was then that Fred noticed that one of Hermione's beautiful eyes was surrounded by a blackened bruise. "What's happened to your eye?"

"Your punching telescope," she returned ruefully. Fred could have smacked himself. He _knew_ that he should have taken all of them. But George had said that it was better to leave the objects that they wouldn't immediately leave. They could always return home for the rest of their belongings. At the time, this had all made since. Now, Fred was wondering why he had listened to his brother in the first place.

"Oh, blimey, I forgot about those. I've got bruise remover in the back. C'mon." Hermione started to follow him, but then looked back at Harry. "George'll be around to give him the grand tour soon. You don't have to worry about him being attacked in our shop, Granger."

Hermione blushed. She glanced around their shop as they walked through the crowded area. These days, the shop was always crowded. Fred assumed it was because the people wanted something to enjoy in those dark days.

"It's just–" Hermione began quietly, Fred had to take a step closer to her in order to hear what she was saying, "it's only been a few months since Sirius died. I-I'm just worried for him, I guess."

"He seems to be handling it pretty well," Fred pointed out as they reached the workroom. He gestured for Hermione to sit on one of the stools while he looked for the bruise remover.

"I don't think he is handling it," Hermione returned. "I think he's just ignoring his problems. And–well–Dumbledore told him some...hard things before he was dropped off at the Burrow."

Fred wanted to know what Dumbledore had told Harry, but refrained from asking. This was not something he needed to know. And, honestly, if it had Hermione this worried, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Finding the bruise remover, he retrieved it from its spot on the shelf. Fred, taking the remover with him, sat on the stool opposite Hermione. He dipped his fingers into the thick, yellow paste. "Close your eyes." She complied. Fred dabbed the paste onto the bruise. "We had to find a decent bruise remover," he explained. "We test all of our products on ourselves first." He finished dabbing the remover on the bruise and capped the paste. "It should be gone in an hour."

"Thank you, Fred," Hermione said with a smile. He nodded and put the paste back where he had found it. "You really have done a great job with the shop."

"That almost sounds like a compliment, Hermione Granger." When he turned back to look at her, she was eyeing the potion thoughtfully. She was studying it like one of her books. She was memorizing it like her school work.

"This is that potion you were working on last April," she said. "You never did tell me what it did."

"It reveals to anyone within earshot a person's thoughts. We really wanted to test it on Ron, but there was never a right time."

"I'm sure he appreciates that," Hermione mused.

"Yes, but George and I would also appreciate hearing his thoughts," Fred returned with a smirk. "Imagine how great it would have been if _everyone_ in the Great Hall had heard that."

Hermione sent him a glare in response. She ran her fingers through her mane of hair. One of the hairs caught the light as it descended from her head and attached to the sleeve of her shirt. Had Fred not been watching her closely, he would have never noticed this small, human action.

A thought appeared quickly in Fred's mind. What _would_ happen if someone's hair mixed with the potion. What would that do? Perhaps, this was why he had been able to hear her thoughts that day. She _had_ been standing beside him when he made the potion before.

Of course, once he had this thought in his mind, he couldn't refrain from subtly stealing the lost hair from her sleeve while they joined the others in the main area of the shop. He would certainly be using this later. Not to breach Hermione's privacy, of course. This was all purely for research. Or, at least, that's what he told himself.

That evening, Fred dropped the hair in the potion and quickly drank it– very much not contemplating how utterly disgusting it was to drink someone else's hair. (Not that he wanted to drink his own either.) Then, he joined George in the living room and prepared to Floo to the Burrow.

_I'm the more attractive twin_, Fred thought furiously.

"Er–Fred," said George in concern, "why are you looking at me like that?"

Fred blinked. Well, the potion with a hair in it prohibited his own thoughts from being heard. That was something at least.

"Nothing to worry about, Georgie," Fred reassured him. He stepped forward and grabbed a handful of the Floo powder.

The moment Fred stepped through the Floo, he could hear Hermione's thoughts, and he knew the potion had been a success. Her thoughts were scattered and racing a thousand times faster than normal.

_...can't believe he made me do that...Borgin and Burkes...And now he's...he's really mad if he believes Voldemort would work with a sixteen year old. But what if?_

Fred glanced around, trying to locate the frazzled witch. He found her sitting at the kitchen table, engrossed in a book that Fred knew she was not reading. He plopped down beside her. Her brown eyes caught his and a smile spread across her face. Fred's heart tried to jump out of his chest at the sight.

_Merlin, he's handsome, _Hermione thought. Hope careened inside of Fred. _Stop it, Hermione. He just sees you as Ron's little, know-it-all friend. He probably sees you as another sister._

Of course, at this, pride and arrogance filled Fred. This potion was very possibly the greatest thing he'd ever invented.

"What are you doing inside, Granger?" Fred asked, forcing himself to look away from her. If he looked any longer, she'd start questioning his creepy staring. "Party's outside for Ginny's birthday."

"Just needed some time for myself," she answered vaguely. "Besides, she's too preoccupied to notice I'm gone." Fred glanced out the window at the party. Ginny was, indeed, laughing her head off at something Harry had said. Potter looked like he could swoon. Strange.

"I thought Gin was dating that Ravenclaw."

"She broke up with Michael at the end of last term. She's dating Dean Thomas now," Hermione informed him.

"Er–does Harry know that?" Hermione's eyes glistened with humor.

"Of course, he does," she replied. _He just hasn't yet realized he likes her._ Of course, he hadn't. Harry Potter was certainly one of the most oblivious people Fred had ever met.

Fred considered wandering outside to wish his only sister a happy birthday. But Hermione was right. She wouldn't notice him unless he was blocking her view of Harry. And anyway, he would prefer to stay with Granger, who had unwittingly just confessed she thought him handsome. This was an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.

Hermione's eyes turned back to the book. _Right. Just look like you're reading and he'll leave you alone. He's probably going to join the party now anyway._

Fred studied her for a moment before saying, "Would you like to go on a walk with me, Hermione?" Her mind was blank in her surprise. Fred quite liked surprising Hermione, she always seemed to anticipate what was going to happen, this she was completely unready for. He didn't give her much time to respond. She barely stuttered out a "yes" when Fred had grabbed her hand and pulled her outside with him.

_What is happening?_ Hermione's thoughts drifted to Fred. _Does he know that he's still holding my hand? I should probably try to let go before he realizes._ Fred tightened his grip on her, gently pulling her closer to him. _Well, that didn't work_. _Merlin, why is he torturing me like this?_

"School starts soon," Fred commented, drawing her attention away from their entwined hands. "Have you already finished reading your books?"

_Yes_, she thought immediately. _Don't answer that. Say you're working on it and that you hope you'll finish before classes begin._

"No," she answered, "I'll probably be done before school begins."

"You have, I know you Granger," he replied with a smirk. "Angelina was always very jealous of your commitment to your studies. So were George and I, but don't tell George I said that." _What? Fred admires me? I must have heard him wrong._ "Don't suppose you'll be missing us this year?"

They reached a small pond. Nearby stood a tall, stately tree. Fred sat at the base of the tree, pulling Hermione down with him. She sat with a respectable distance between the two of them. The space was entirely too far for Fred's liking.

"It will be strange to have you gone," Hermione admitted. _Gryffindor Tower might finally be quiet in the evenings, though, with Fred and George no longer trying to sell their products while I'm trying to study._

"Don't worry, Granger," Fred answered, "George and I have been selling hundreds of products to Hogwarts students. It'll be like we never left." _Of course, it will be. You won't be there. _

"You sure like to keep us prefects on our toes," she said aloud. Fred was frowning. He wasn't sure where to go from here. He had just learned that Granger actually fancied him and he wasn't sure what to do with that information. How did one start that sort of conversation just out of the blue?

He decided that honesty was probably the best course of action.

"I'll miss you," he stated, not looking at her while he said it. _He will_?

"You will?"

"'Course I will. I fancy you, Granger. Isn't that obvious?" Her thoughts went blank as she stared at him with wide eyes. And just to prove his point, he kissed her. It took her only half a second to start thinking once more (_Fred's kissing me! Fred's kissing me!) _and responded with enthusiasm to the kiss.

It was gentle and it was perfect. And the whole time, Fred felt victorious.


	3. Chapter 3: No Longer on Accident

The third time it happened it was because Fred honestly just took the potion as a way of desperately hoping to hear his girlfriend's thoughts, to know that she was safe wherever she, Harry, and Ron were.

After he had kissed her that night at by the pond, he and Granger started dating. It was hard while she was at Hogwarts, but Fred made an effort to appear at all the Quidditch Matches and the Hogsmeade weekends. They wrote each other often and it wasn't long before Hermione could say to Fred those three little words he'd been longing to hear her say.

Their amazing year together had been followed by the immense pain that was the death of Albus Dumbledore. Hermione returned home to obliviate her parents, knowing that they would be destroyed and tortured for the information they knew about Harry Potter and the fact that they were muggles. Numerous parents of Muggle-borns had been killed as of late and Hermione did not want that same fate to fall on her parents.

Fred remembered that day vividly. He appeared the Grangers' house earlier, claiming he was by to see his wonderful girlfriend. Instead, he was there because Hermione needed someone to lean on. She cried into his chest all night and he desperately wished he could have done something better for her.

When she told him that she was not going to be returning to Hogwarts, Fred laughed. He never, in a million years, imagined that _Hermione Granger_ would leave school before taking her N.E.W.T.s. He decided that he was having a good effect on her, to which she rolled her eyes.

She, then, explained that Dumbledore had left a special task for Harry to complete (of course he did) and that only Harry could complete it (of course, because no one else in the world could get rid of Voldemort) and that Ron and Hermione were going to accompany him (naturally.) Fred wished that for once the weight of the world wouldn't fall to the shoulders of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

But people rarely get what they wish for.

Not long after the incident at the Ministry, in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeared freed a bunch of Muggle-borns, Fred and George followed their example and started to travel. They traveled with Lee Jordan, who started a broadcast called Potterwatch. They were constantly on the show with Lee, giving laughter to the dreary situation surrounding them.

One night, after they finished the broadcast and George and Lee had already gone to sleep in the tent that Fred pulled out the potion. He knew it was a long shot and he had already learned once the ramifications of mistaking Hermione's hair for Crookshanks's. He just couldn't stand not knowing what was happening to her. He desperately wanted to know if she was alright.

Before they fled the Burrow, Hermione had accidentally left one of her sweaters in Ginny's room. It was on this sweater that Fred had found strands of her hair. (And apparently, Crookshanks's as well.) He had been saving the potion for the perfect moment. And in this moment, he longed to know what was happening to her.

Fred plucked the strand of hair from the sweater and threw it into the potion. He quickly drank the potion, straining to hear Hermione.

The chances of this working were slim to none. She could be anywhere in the world. She was probably too far away for Fred to hear her thoughts. Then, piercing the silence, he heard a soft, _Fred. _

In a second, Fred was on his feet, walking off to his left, towards the sound. _They're...again...Horcrux_. It was faint, but the more Fred walked, the more he could hear. She was here, somewhere, nearby.

_It's the Horcrux_, she was thinking. What on earth was a Horcrux? _It's tearing us apart. I wish Fred were here. We need someone to make us laugh against the lies of that stupid necklace._

Her thoughts didn't make any sense to him, but Fred didn't care. She could think about the Warlock Convention of 1259 for all he cared. She was here! She was close and she was safe. He thought about calling out her name, but there was no telling who or what was lurking in the woods as well. So, he kept walking, clinging to the words in her mind.

An image appeared in her mind and Fred could see every bit of it. It was a memory, a memory that was very dear to him as well.

"_I'm not getting on that thing_."

"_I'm not taking 'no' for an answer, Granger," Fred replied. He was hovering a few feet off the ground, reaching his hand out to her. She never wanted to go flying. She hated it. Heights terrified her to her core, but Fred wanted her to fly with him. "I promise I won't let you fall. You trust me, don't you?"_

"_Of course I trust you, Fred. I-I just would prefer to stay on the ground. C'mon, I'll even help you with your products if you want." Fred smirked at her._

"_You're not getting out of this. Besides, it's not like you've never flown before. You went on that thestral to the Ministry with Harry last year."_

"_That was different! I thought Sirius's life was on the line. I didn't have time to think about–"_

"_I think that's your problem, Hermione. You always overthink things. You're incredible and brilliant, but sometimes you need to stop thinking so much and just enjoy life." This time, he didn't give her time to argue before he pulled her onto the broomstick and flew up into the sky. At first, she clung to him, refusing to look around. But Fred kept the pace slow, allowing her to see the beauty of the world all around them._

_After a while, she untangled herself from Fred, glancing around them. They hadn't flown very far, just around the Burrow. But Fred noticed the distinct change in her. She needed to fly like this. Slow, but purposeful. She even let out a small chuckle._

_Eventually, Fred flew back to the ground, helping her off before he dismounted. Her hair was wild from the wind, but her face was bright with joy. She pressed a kiss to Fred's cheek. "Thank you for that, I did like it."_

"_I love you," he stated. The had fallen out of his mouth absentmindedly. She just looked so enchanting like that. He had meant to tell her in some wildly romantic way, but he had never had much of a filter and the words had fallen from his lips before he could stop them. _

_She was surprised, understandably, but then a smile spread across her face. She stepped closer to him and pressed her lips against his. Their kiss was long and sweet and immensely perfect. _

"_I love you, too, Fred Weasley." The words warmed his heart._

Fred could see the image perfectly, but he couldn't see Hermione anywhere. He knew Harry, Ron, and Hermione were smart. They probably had the same protections around their camp as Fred, George, and Lee had around theirs. Still, he wanted to see her. He wanted to talk to her, kiss her, and be with her.

Yet, they weren't around anywhere.

Fred returned to his camp, saddened he couldn't find Hermione, but grateful that she was okay. He spent the rest of the night, listening to her thoughts and memories about him.


	4. Chapter 4: Definitely on Purpose

The fourth time it happened, it was because Hermione believed Fred deserved it. She had been livid when she learned he'd been using this potion to spy on her thoughts. It felt like a massive violation of privacy. He claimed that the first and second times had been accidents and the third time had only been because he missed her, but Hermione still couldn't believe he was listening to her hidden thoughts.

So, she decided that she was going to teach him a lesson on the importance of privacy.

Life had been good for them following the war. Well, as good as it _could be _following a war. Many of their friends had died, a pain they had to deal with daily. Fred, himself, had almost died the night of the Battle of Hogwarts. Miraculously, he survived. Hermione was determined never to take Fred for granted, she had been given a second chance with him and she was going to cherish every blessed moment with him.

When the war ended, Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to finish her education before finding a job at the Ministry. She loved her work, she loved fighting for what she believed in. Last week, a law was _finally_ passed that ended the discrimination of werewolves in the workplace. No longer could anyone be fired simply because they were a werewolf. Hermione wished that Remus Lupin could have lived to see this feat.

Fred and George had returned to the shop. They started selling numerous Harry Potter merchandise, which the public seemed to inhale. Sometimes, they would have Harry sign random objects around their store. For some reason, those items always seemed to fly off the shelves. They waited a year, but they were finally able to open another shop in Hogsmeade. Currently, they had plans to grow their business even further. They had recently discussed plans with Fleur about a branch in France.

Today, however, marked the day five year anniversary of when Fred kissed Hermione for the first time. She had been adamant that she would not accept any proposal he made until she was well-established in her work. She wanted to marry Fred, she had told him a thousand times, but she refused to marry him until they were ready. Fred was extremely understanding about it.

Yesterday, he had sent her an owl, telling her that he wanted to take her out to a nice dinner as a way to celebrate their years together. She, of course, accepted, thinking that this was finally the right time to pay him back for breaching her privacy. He claimed he had never used the potion against her except for those three times. She trusted him, but she desperately wanted to use it against him herself.

So, that night, she drank the potion with Fred's hair inside. She could hear his anxious thoughts the moment she Apparated to the shop.

He was dressed impeccably. Gone was the purple Weasley Wizard Wheezes clothes. Instead, he wore formal dress robes, looking as handsome as he did the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding. He was pacing outside of the shop, as though he had a mountain of energy that he needed to burn off.

She let him pacing in anxiety for a moment, listening to his thoughts. _She's late...what if–don't even think that, Freddie. Merlin, did I forget it?_ He fumbled around in his pocket for something, his shoulders releasing in relief. _It's still there. This has to be perfect. _

"Fred," she called out to him, ambling over to him. He froze when he saw her. _Merlin, she's beautiful_, he thought. Hermione flushed a little at that. She glanced down at the purple dress Ginny had forced her to buy the last time they went shopping. She hadn't thought much about it when she threw it on. She just thought Fred might like it. "Sorry, I'm late."

"It's alright," he said dismissively. He held out his arm to her, which she took immediately. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you, Fred."

He led her down to a new restaurant in Diagon Alley. He had told her a hundred times that he wanted to try it, but they never had the time. Now, they were finally going to taste the food that the _Daily Prophet_ had claimed to be "absolutely divine."

It was a quaint little restaurant. There was a kind looking gentleman playing slow ballads on the piano. The restaurant wasn't terribly crowded and Hermione could hear Fred's words with ease. This had certainly been a good idea.

Apparently, however, she was the only having these thoughts as Fred kept scanning the people around him, his thoughts frayed and making little sense. This was all in stark contrast to his usual carefree attitude.

_Oh, Merlin, I've forgotten what I was going to say–It's so hot in here–What was I going to say to her? I haven't forgotten the– _Fred quickly checked his pockets for a second time that evening. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fred, is everything alright?" she inquired.

"Yes," he answered too quickly. _Oh, I'm fine, I'm just about to have a conversation with you that with either end in terrible heartbreak or–_

She never heard the "or" as the waiter chose at this moment to appear with their food. Fred looked at the food like he was going to be sick. Yes, he was definitely not okay.

_How was I going to start this? This is why George told me to write the speech on my hand. I can't remember any of it! Merlin, this is a disaster! Just-just say "Granger, I think we need to talk." _Fred took a deep breath.

"Hermione, I think we need to talk." Fear erupted in Hermione. Was he going to break up with her? She thought he was going to propose soon. Was this dinner just a way to be nice and break it off amicably?

She set down her fork, suddenly no longer hungry, even if the food was absolutely divine. "Yes, Fred?" _Say it now before you lose your courage and end up dating her forever!_

"W-we've been dating for a long time and I-I love you so much." Understanding fell on Hermione like a ton of bricks. She smiled encouragingly at him. _Merlin, she's beautiful_, he thought again. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you…" He trailed off, looking frustrated with himself. _Say something! She's clearly waiting for it!_

"I love you, too," Hermione interjected, helping him find the words. "I thought that I was going to lose you during the war, but you survived. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, too." She reached out and took his hand in her own.

"I had a speech prepared, you know," he admitted, his eyes trained on their entwined hands. "I was going to be bloody romantic and sweep you off your feet. For the life of me, I can't remember a word of what I was going to say."

"Just say you love me and then ask me. You can tell me the speech later when you've remembered it." He smiled broadly at her.

"I do not deserve you, Hermione Granger. I love you, will–" he broke off suddenly and fell to the floor on a knee, taking the small box out of his pocket and holding it open to her, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes, of course I will," Hermione answered, pulling Fred into a fierce kiss. He placed the ring on her finger. The largest smile spreading across his face. The phrase "_She said yes!_" played on repeat in his mind for most of the evening. Every time Hermione glanced up at him, he had large, goofy smile on his face as though he couldn't believe this had really happened to him.

Later that evening, Hermione and Fred went on a walk together. Her arm was looped around his and her head laid on his shoulder. _She's going to be my wife_, he thought to himself as they walked in companionable, contented, and happy silence. _She's going to be mine forever. Merlin, I love her. _

Hermione sighed fondly. She had thought listening to his thoughts would be embarrassing for him. She could hold whatever he thought over him. But this night had just proved how much he did truly love her. There was nothing from this night that was incriminating, nothing that Hermione could think to hold over him. Well, she would just have to try again later. After all, they had their entire lives ahead of them.

Fred, hearing her sigh, looked down at her, that goofy smile still plastered to his face. "Knut for your thoughts?"


End file.
